Scorching heat and crime: The worst cities to plan a summer vacation
As the summer travel season ramps up, the editors at Forbes Advisor have unveiled the best and worst cities to spend your summer vacation.
Over 200 million Americans are expected to travel to summer destinations either by road or air, with beaches and national parks emerging as popular choices.
The group weighed several factors, including crime, prices, ease of travel and extreme weather in 43 metros across the country.
Jacksonville, Florida, topped the list, scoring a perfect score on the list no city wants to be on.
The group found the River City had poor walkability, a lack of public transportation, a high crime rate and air temperatures that were rather uncomfortable during the summer months.
According to NOAA historical data, most of the summer season is spent in the low to mid-90s, but the heat index is commonly above 100 degrees.
The Forbes group did not say whether it took into account nearby beaches where many vacationers end up trying to beat the heat.
Rounding out the top list of least desirable cities were
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Fresno, California
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
A common theme among the cities topping the list was high crime rates, a lack of highly ranked restaurants and inadequate transportation.
The best summer vacation cities in America were:
- Minneapolis,Minnesota
- Long Beach, California
- Washington, D.C.
- Seattle, Washington
- Omaha, Nebraska
Many of the top spots have a high walkability score and the weather tends to be less extreme than in the southern belt.
The survey didn’t explore international destinations, which are anticipated to be popular hotspots in 2024.
“International travel to the U.S. is growing quickly but is still far from a full pre-pandemic recovery,” the U.S. Travel Association stated earlier this year.
According to Tripadvisor, the most popular international destinations this year include: Cancun, Mexico; London, England; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Paris, France and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Paris is experiencing an uptick in interest due in part to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which are slated to begin in late July and continue into September.
Officials estimate more than 15 million people from 206 nations will visit The City of Light and nearby regions during the games.
For the first time, the Summer Games will not kick off in a stadium but instead during an open-air event along the River Seine set against the iconic backdrop of the Eiffel Tower on July 26.
